Todd Herman Associates is Celebrating Our 27th Anniversary! What Lessons Have We Learned Along the Way?

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August 1, 2016 marked the 27th anniversary of Todd Herman Associates! As a numbers person by education (double majors in Accountancy and Mathematics) and career (Auditing, then Business Technology Consulting), my mind quickly found something interesting about 27 – it's 3x3x3, or three cubed. Hence, the title of this e-newsletter.

Continuing the August tradition of taking a quick look back over the past twelve months, here are some key lessons I've learned myself or shared with others:

  1. Maintain High Standards — Whether it's my staff or others, on client or internal projects, I want to see good work – and I've curbed my perfectionist tendencies by accepting "Good Enough."
  2. Keep Clients Happy – THA strives to practice "No Guessing, No Surprises, Tell the Truth." Know what your client (external or internal) wants, manage expectations, and 'fess up when mistakes happen.
  3. People Amaze Me! – Hiring is chancy – mistakes happen, yet diamonds in the rough can turn up ... and require nurturing. And sometimes, someone is SO in synch with me, it's scary!
  4. Make Mistakes Once – When a mistake happens, accept the consequences and learn your lesson – then implement ways to minimize its recurrence. If it happens again? You've only yourself to blame!
  5. Define Your SOPs – Once employees know their clearly defined goals and expectations – such as client hours each week – and realize they'll be held accountable, they will meet them more consistently.
  6. Model Desired Behaviors – If I want my staff to practice "Who Will Do What By When," then I must, too, including the "By When." (Yes, I always want everything NOW!)
  7. "Most Important Now" – Faced with multiple tasks, making a comprehensive list and finding the MIN task improves time usage – specially in a small company where ALL people wear multiple hats.
  8. Take Field Trips! – Some recent firm meetings ended with playing an "Escape Room" or touring "The Forge" – and the staff LOVED these outings! Adults need to nurture their "Inner Child."
  9. Always Be Thankful – Twenty-seven years of ups-and-downs, and changes large and small. Still, it's provided me a good life, interesting work, amazing clients – and lots of fun along the way!

What future THA anniversaries might have an interesting numeric relation? Stick around and find out.

Sincerely,

toddsig

Todd L. Herman

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